Workshop 'Freedom of creation'

Below you will be able to find an outline of the 4 day intensive workshop held during 'Below the Sealevel'.

FREEDOM OF CREATION

An intensive practical workshop on free software and video-making

In the world of artistic creation, free software means freedom of expression. This workshop will focus on the various software available for recording, editing and publishing of audio/video material. Participant will guided in identifying potential paths and in creatively choosing a direction within the vast choice of possibilities on offer. As the workshop progresses, each participant will be encouraged to use and adapt the software that best suits his or her own ideas and needs. This workshop, makes use of a beginner's approach to the topic at hand, explains various techniques of multimedia production using various free and open source software.

Subjects of the workshop: The following topics can be explored

How to fix a PC computer

• Suggestions on recycling hardware components and how to assemble a PC computer

How to make Radio

• Recording, editing and encoding of sound, interviews etc. how to broadcast voices and music on the Internet with online radio

How to make Music

• Recording, editing of audio samples, equalizing and editing on multitrack, encoding and online publishing, live instruments for mixing and realtime performance

How to make Video

• Recording, introduction to some editing applications, encoding, transcoding and online publishing, live instruments for veejaying and realtime manipulation, mathematical and algorithmical theories of video manipulation

Every participant will receive a dyne:bolic CD necessary software, free to be used and redistributed (GNU GPL license). The notions acquired will not make it necessary to buy any commercial software, the students will be free to produce and distribute their own creations without depending on commercial companies.

The workshop consists of a hands-on experience employing GNU/Linux for digital artisanship and tactical media, exploring various ideas and practices of crafting and recycling technologies to stimulate students towards the invention of novel forms of interactive computing and social networking.

Language of Instruction: English with Arabic translation if necessary

Instructor

Jaromil (1977) is a developer and media artist inspired by the GNU free software movement: he follows the ideal of creating FOSS for freedom of expression, to let people communicate, freed from consumerist speculations and the need for expensive hardware.

Among open source software he created and maintains are: MuSE (for running a web radio), FreeJ (for vee-jay and real-time video manipulation), HasciiCam (ASCII video streaming) and dyne:bolic (efficient live-CD widely employed for media production and broadcasting). These creations are redistributed by the Free Software Foundation and several other educational institutions worldwide.

Based in Amsterdam, Jaromil is currently active on FOSS R&D for the Netherlands Media Art institute, adjunct lecturer (year 2008/09) for the Media Design MA at PietZwart Academy in Rotterdam and the Digital Environment Design MA at NABA in Milano.